VITERRA’s Tumby Bay site on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula is being overhauled in time for this harvest to include a fully automated 40-metre-long weighbridge, automatic grain probes and a new on-ground classification office.

Automatic grain probes at Tumby Bay. Photo: Viterra

Viterra operations manager western region, James Murray, said in a statement the technology was the first of its kind within the network for the South Australian bulk handler.

“The automatic probes run the length of the truck on overhead tracks and will be controlled by an employee with a joystick inside the classification office. Visual inspection of the truck will be via video cameras on the probes.

“With employees no longer probing at height, it made sense to put the classification office on the ground to remove the need for stairs and improve safety and efficiencies.

“The automated weighbridge is technology which has been operating at Outer Harbor for the past few years, so we know this works well.”

On-site work on the Tumby Bay upgrade started in June.

Other upgrades for 2017

Thevenard: New 40m weighbridge at the bunker site.

Brinkworth: Portable weighbridge, which will allow the site to reopen this harvest;

Roseworthy: Additional land purchased to expand the site in future years;

Multiple sites: Replacement and refurbishment of ship-loading infrastructure.

Source: Viterra